Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to floor coverings and more particularly to an improved process of making a decorative resilient floor covering.
Background Of The Invention
Various types of material have been used for floor coverings throughout the ages. Among the most timeless floor coverings have been marble, granite or stone floor coverings. Although these types of floor coverings are very durable, the cost of these materials is considerable. Furthermore, the cost of installing the marble, granite or stone floors is also a significant cost consideration.
In an effort to reduce the cost of such durable floor materials, synthetic tiles were fabricated for providing a durable floor material. Synthetic tiles were manufactured by a refractory process of common low cost materials. In addition, synthetic tiles provided an opportunity for coloring the tiles to a desired color during the refractory process. Although the ceramic tiles have reduced the material costs relative to marble, granite or stone floor coverings, the cost of installing synthetic tiles is still a costly process.
An additional disadvantage of all of the aforementioned floor materials was the possibility of damaging the marble, granite, stone or synthetic tile floor material. Although these materials provided a durable flooring surface, these may be cracked or chipped if a heavy metallic object was dropped onto the flooring material. In such a case, the repair of the floor generally required the removal of the chipped or cracked portion and the insertion of a new flooring material. This was a very difficult task in some situations since it is difficult to match the color and texture of original the marble, granite, stone or synthetic tile floor material.
A further disadvantage of the aforementioned floor materials is the hardness of the floor material. Although these floorings provided a very durable flooring material, the material is very hard and thereby very fatiguing to a person walking on the floor covering for a long period of time.
To overcome some of these difficulties, I proposed the processes of making synthetic stone, marble and tile through the use of a process using a thin cementitious layer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,169,686 discloses a method for an improved process for coating a substrate with a marbleized polyester coating. The substrate is prepared for adherence by a polyester material. The substrate is coated with a first colored polyester material. A second colored polyester material is deposited onto selected areas of the first colored polyester material prior to the curing of the first colored polyester material. The first and second uncured polyester materials are reciprocally rolled with a fibrous roller to blend the second colored polyester material into the first colored polyester material to produce the marbleized polyester coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,250 discloses a process for covering a substrate with a textured simulated marble surface and the resulting product. In the process, cement and sand are mixed to form a first mixture to which is added an aqueous solution of an adhesive resin such as an acrylic resin to create a first mortar. The cement and sand are mixed to form a second mixture to which is added an aqueous solution of an adhesive resin such as an acrylic resin to create a second mortar. A contrasting pigment is added to one of the first and second mortars or to each of the mortars. The first mortar is applied over the entire substrate. The second mortar is applied onto randomly spaced portions over the previously applied first mortar prior to the complete curing of the first mortar to form a unitary textured covering. The textured unitary coating includes a lower layer and an upper layer with the upper layer comprising the second mortar and the lower layer comprising the first and second mortar. The contrasting pigment in the one of the first and second mortars is allowed to commingle with the other of the first and second mortars to enable the pigmented areas to blend with other pigmented areas, if present, and with the non-pigmented areas. Substantially only the blended upper layer of the unitary textured covering of the substrate is lightly troweled to simulate a marble surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,939 discloses a process for covering a substrate with a cementitious simulated ceramic surface having a mottled, speckled appearance. Cement and sand are mixed with an aqueous solution of an adhesive resin to create a viscous liquid mortar. The viscous liquid mortar is applied onto randomly spaced portions of the cementitious substrate to create a noncontiguous thickened cementitious coating having a high viscosity to prevent spreading of the liquid mortar over the cementitious substrate. The noncontiguous thickened cementitious coating is troweled to form a plurality of interconnecting and non-interconnecting flattened and level plateaus partially covering the cementitious substrate to reveal a simulated mottled, speckled ceramic covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,634 discloses a process for covering a substrate with a textured simulated marble surface by mixing cement and sand to form a first mixture to which is added an aqueous solution of acrylic resin to create a first mortar. The cement and sand are mixed to form a second mixture to which is added an aqueous solution of acrylic resin to create a second mortar. A contrasting pigment is added to one of the first and second mortars. The first mortar is applied over the entire substrate. The second mortar is applied onto randomly spaced portions over the previously applied first mortar prior to the complete curing of the first mortar to form a unitary textured covering. The textured unitary coating includes a lower layer and an upper layer with the upper layer comprising the second mortar and the lower layer comprising the first and second mortar. The contrasting pigment in the one of the first and second mortars is allowed to commingle with the other of the first and second mortars to enable the pigmented areas to blend with the non-pigmented areas. Lightly troweling substantially only the blended upper layer of the unitary textured covering of the substrate to simulate a marble surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,303 discloses a process for covering a substrate with a textured simulated marble surface and the resulting product. Cement and sand are mixed to form a first mixture to which is added an aqueous solution of an adhesive resin such as an acrylic resin to create a mortar. The mortar is spread on the substrate and one or more color pigments are added to the surface at randomly-spaced locations prior to the complete curing of the mortar. Air is blown onto the surface of the mortar and serves to blend the color pigments into the mortar and into each other. As the air stream moves across the surface of the mortar, color patterns are formed.
My prior inventions set forth in the above U.S. Patents have solved the need for providing a low cost, durable floor covering material which has the attractive benefits of marble, granite, nature stone or tile without the expense association with the cost of materials and cost of installation. Furthermore, when the aforementioned flooring materials were applied to a wooden floor or other resilient floor, the thin, cementitious coating had sufficient flexibility to provide a resilient floor covering as to not fatigue a person walking on the floor for a prolonged period of time. In cases where my floor covering was applied to a hard surface such as a concrete slab or the like, my floor covering did not provide the desired resiliency due to the nature and properties of the substrate.
Some in the prior art have proposed the use of a resilient material such as a resilient polymeric material for providing a floor covering. Although many of these materials are durable and provide the desired resiliency to the floor covering, these floor materials are singularly in color and did not provide an attractive floor covering as my synthetic cementitious floor covering set forth above. These resilient floor coverings are also economic both in material cost and labor for installation.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering having the appearance of a nature stone or a ceramic tile.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering which may be made in multiple tile colors and multiple grout colors.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering which provides multiple colors of natural stone and multiple colors of stone grout.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering which has the advantages of a natural stone or marble appearance while being resilient and comfortable for walking on for prolonged periods of time.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering which may be installed by a semi-skilled worker.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering wherein a second flooring layer may be applied to the upper surface thereto in the event the first flooring is deteriorated or in the event that a color change is desired.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering which may be adaptable to a wide variety of colors.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering which may be achieved through the use of a conventional paint roller.
Another object of this invention is to provide a process of making a decorative resilient floor covering without a substantial increase in the cost in the coating process.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention with in the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.